LCQ17: Tackling very hot weather
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Question:
It has been reported that the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) recorded a high temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius early this month, and according to HKO data, the average annual total number of very hot days observed since 2021 has exceeded 50, the highest figure since records began. Moreover, a study has predicted that extreme heat will occur more frequently in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of days on which various temporary night heat shelters (heat shelters) under the Home Affairs Department were open and the average number of occupants per night in the past year; whether the authorities have plans to open more heat shelters to meet public demand for sheltering from heat under very hot weather conditions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as there are calls in the community urging the authorities to introduce additional heat relief measures for those living in various forms of inadequate housing, including subdivided units, cage homes and rooftop structures, whether the authorities have considered providing air-conditioning subsidies and free cooling facilities (e.g. mist fans) to such households; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether it will study the use of brand new cooling technologies and renewable energy, drawing on foreign cities' research experience and practices in cooling, so as to tackle the problem of very hot urban weather; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) given that in the reply to a question from a Member of this Council on June 6, 2018, the Government indicated that it would introduce green design in government buildings, of the details of the introduction of green design in government buildings in the past three years (including whether it has used building materials that enable green cooling and how such designs have mitigated the urban heat island effect)?
Reply:
President,
In consultation with the Development Bureau and the Home Affairs Department, the reply to the question raised by the Hon Lee Chun-keung is as follows:
(1) From June to October 2024, the 19 temporary heat shelters under the Home Affairs Department were opened for 70 days, of which overnight service was provided on 66 nights. The average number of registered users per night across all shelters was 9.
Based on the current usage, the existing arrangement of temporary heat shelters is sufficient to meet the demand. The Home Affairs Department will continue to monitor the service provision.
(2) According to the Scheme of Control Agreements, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP) and the Hongkong Electric Company Limited (HEC) (collectively referred to as the power companies) have offered discounts in the electricity bills to low consumption customers and customers in need under their energy saving rebate and concession tariff schemes to encourage energy saving and reduce the tariff expense of the relevant customers. In addition, the two companies have, through programmes under the respective Community Energy Saving Fund and Smart Power Care Fund, been assisting the disadvantaged, including the provision of cash subsidies to eligible grassroots families and household of sub-divided units. For instance, CLP allocated $50 million in 2025 to provide subsidies for the electricity bills of 70 000 grassroots families, while HEC allocated $1.2 million to provide subsidies for 1 200 household of sub-divided units over the same period. CLP also launched the Inverter Air Conditioner Replacement Subsidy Scheme, which involve the allocation of $5 million subsidies for elderly persons, low-income families and persons with disabilities to replace their window-type air conditioners with inverter air conditioner with Grade 1 energy label. It is estimated that around 1 200 families will benefit from the scheme. The Government will continue to encourage the power companies to provide assistance for customers in need having regard to the companies' operating situations.
(3) To promote the application of new cooling technology the Government collaborated with local universities for the trial application of Passive Radiative Cooling Paint (PRCP) to reduce solar heat gain and control temperature increase. PRCP uses nanomaterial technology to reflect incoming solar radiation and emit thermal radiation simultaneously, achieving effective cooling even under direct sunlight.
The Government leads by example and encourages the private sector to jointly participate in promoting renewable energy. Some of the renewable energy systems could supply electricity required to buildings and, at the same time, provide a shading layer on the rooftop to help reduce the amount of heat absorbed by and released from the rooftop and hence the energy consumption of buildings. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department is implementing the Pilot Scheme on Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) (the Pilot Scheme) at its headquarters. The objective is to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of BIPV from various aspects based on relevant data collected under the Pilot Scheme, such as the actual power generation efficiency and reduction in indoor energy consumption, etc.
(4) The Government has been leading by example and has implemented a target-based green performance framework for the new and existing government buildings since 2009. We aim to attain a "Gold" rating or above under "BEAM Plus" for new government buildings with a construction floor area of more than 5 000 square metres in order to enhance the environmental objectives and requirements. Over 600 government buildings have already attained BEAM Plus Gold or above rating to date. The Government has also commenced the application of green cooling building materials, for example, the above-mentioned PRCP has been applied to the roof of Hong Kong Coliseum to lower the surface temperature of the roof. The Government will continue to explore new green building materials and innovations to combat extreme heat.
Ends/Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Issued at HKT 14:15
Issued at HKT 14:15
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